An intern virus may remain alive on a countertop for up to several hours, thereby permitting those who come into contact with the countertop to run the risk of infection. Also, many people have frequent bleeding from the gums, which can otherwise transfer blood and contaminants therein to the toothbrusb which they use. It is common for the user of a toothbrush, particularly when at the work place, to leave the brush in a publicly accessible place, such as on a restroom countertop or the like. In that location, the toothbrush is then capable of being contaminated by any local intern virus, as well as free to be contaminated by insects and the like, or may itself contaminate the countertop.
The prior art discloses a number of devices for sterilizing or otherwise conditioning a toothbrush by means of radiant energy. The most common radiant energy source is an ultraviolet lamp. Ultraviolet radiation is used because of its sterilizing effect. Ultraviolet radiation produces a violent vibration in the cell walls of microbes, causing them to rupture and kill the organism.
Two basic types of ultraviolet toothbrush conditioners are known. The first operates continuously, thereby acting more as a still than a sterilizer. The other type operates in an on-off way, thereby running the risk that the brush is not properly conditioned before a subsequent use. Neither of these types appreciates the problem of vapor condensation at the top of the device, which condensation provides a source for continued contamination.
In view of the above, it can be seen that there is a need for a toothbrush conditioner which effectively destroys contaminating microbes and the like by bombardment with radiant energy of a selected wavelength. Preferably, the conditioner optimally balances the relevant thermodynamic relationships to assure that the vapor is driven away from the brush so as to exit the device, thereby drying the bristles and avoiding subsequent contamination through condensation. The disclosed invention is just such a conditioner and satisfactorily avoids the problems of the prior art.